Post by The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth

In Japan, Connor McCullough T’26 saw firsthand how cultural nuance—not just data—can determine whether a business strategy succeeds. During a Global Insight Expedition (GIX) focused on the country’s aging population, he observed how companies navigate complex challenges in ways that don’t always map neatly to traditional business frameworks. “Across company visits and cultural observations, the strongest solutions were grounded in data but executed with deep respect for tradition,” McCullough says. “In a world increasingly driven by quantitative analysis, it was refreshing to see how embedded cultural observation was in everyday business processes.” While analytical rigor is critical, he learned that progress depends on aligning decisions with the people and contexts they affect—an approach he’s applied to his own leadership style as co-chair of Tuck’s Real Estate Club. “There are always multiple parties with different—and sometimes competing—priorities,” McCullough says. “Making progress has required understanding who is affected by each decision and building alignment early.”